Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Last family photo?
Monday, March 28, 2011
this wouldn't happen at home...
So, we finally had our time change to spring hours today....yes, Monday.
You may wonder why our time change occurred on a Monday rather than a Sunday. We did too, until we heard the rationale through the grapevine. Yesterday, Sunday, was the date of the big college entrance exams here. So as not to have thousands of students miss an hour of sleep (or potentially the test?), the government decided to make the time change today.
Who'd have thunk it?
You may wonder why our time change occurred on a Monday rather than a Sunday. We did too, until we heard the rationale through the grapevine. Yesterday, Sunday, was the date of the big college entrance exams here. So as not to have thousands of students miss an hour of sleep (or potentially the test?), the government decided to make the time change today.
Who'd have thunk it?
weekend adventures
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
doctors, big brothers, and one week to go
After my 39 week check-up today, my doctor said, "Turkish delight!" "It is almost ready to come out".
Is he referring to our baby or a Thanksgiving turkey?
Yesterday, Micah pointed to the baby crib and then my belly. Yep, that's where your little sister is going to sleep! Today, when I got home from the doctor's, he said, "Its inside" to which I responded, "Yes, the baby is still inside."
How do kids know this stuff?
Is he referring to our baby or a Thanksgiving turkey?
Yesterday, Micah pointed to the baby crib and then my belly. Yep, that's where your little sister is going to sleep! Today, when I got home from the doctor's, he said, "Its inside" to which I responded, "Yes, the baby is still inside."
How do kids know this stuff?
Thursday, March 17, 2011
things that make you go hmmm...
As I left the doctor's office yesterday, he said "I'll see you next week, unless you go into labor before that".
Right....so is that the phrase you always say at 38 weeks or did he notice something during my exam that would cause him to think that a distinct possibility?
Either way, it's time to sort baby clothes, think about a hospital bag, and find the pack-n-play!
to nest...to nest!
Right....so is that the phrase you always say at 38 weeks or did he notice something during my exam that would cause him to think that a distinct possibility?
Either way, it's time to sort baby clothes, think about a hospital bag, and find the pack-n-play!
to nest...to nest!
Nightmares & Dayfears
Pregnancy can make you a bit crazy at times.
My glasses broke 2 weeks ago - the frames just broke in 2. In our pursuit of a welder, we lost one lens, and thus began the search for affordable new glasses in a foreign country. I was hoping to use the old scotch-tape method until we got home this summer, but the loss of the second lens prohibited that dream. I was pretty relaxed about finding a new pair until I started imagining going into labor for 10 hours and then asking the doctor to hold everything as the baby's head was crowning so I could put my contacts back in to see her!
Because my eyesight is so terrible, I received quotes from $150-$1000! On my second day of searching, we were treated to tea at every shop we entered. Such hospitality! But when you're trying to get in-and-out of as many places as possible to price compare, it means that you get sugar shock from all that tea! ;) We finally found a suitable, affordable pair that has made my 3am wakings much more pleasurable. I can read my book for 20 minutes and then fall back asleep, rather than staring into nothingness for 2 hours wishing I could see something. :)
Last night I had a nightmare that two poisonous lizards came into our bedroom and bit me once in each leg. I got mad at Rick that he didn't slice their heads off before they bit me. Once awake, Rick attributed this dream to watching Crocodile Dundee before bed. Ah, pregnancy hormones.
My glasses broke 2 weeks ago - the frames just broke in 2. In our pursuit of a welder, we lost one lens, and thus began the search for affordable new glasses in a foreign country. I was hoping to use the old scotch-tape method until we got home this summer, but the loss of the second lens prohibited that dream. I was pretty relaxed about finding a new pair until I started imagining going into labor for 10 hours and then asking the doctor to hold everything as the baby's head was crowning so I could put my contacts back in to see her!
Because my eyesight is so terrible, I received quotes from $150-$1000! On my second day of searching, we were treated to tea at every shop we entered. Such hospitality! But when you're trying to get in-and-out of as many places as possible to price compare, it means that you get sugar shock from all that tea! ;) We finally found a suitable, affordable pair that has made my 3am wakings much more pleasurable. I can read my book for 20 minutes and then fall back asleep, rather than staring into nothingness for 2 hours wishing I could see something. :)
Last night I had a nightmare that two poisonous lizards came into our bedroom and bit me once in each leg. I got mad at Rick that he didn't slice their heads off before they bit me. Once awake, Rick attributed this dream to watching Crocodile Dundee before bed. Ah, pregnancy hormones.
Stress Tests
Last week at my 37 week appt, I had to have a "non-stress test" done for the baby. They strap 2 monitors to the belly and monitor if the baby's heart rate increases with her own movement. So, every time I feel the baby move, I am supposed to hit a little buzzer. It is "non-stress" because it is not an invasive procedure. I received these instructions in Tksh of course. So, last week, I don't know if our little girl had hiccups or if I just was feeling my own heart rate racing, but I pressed that little buzzer twenty times in the first minute. I decided that couldn't be the purpose of the test, so I backed off. Anyway, this 20 minute non-stress test resulted in a very stressed out momma trying to figure out when I should be pressing that little buzzer. On top of that, she must have been sleeping, because she hardly moved at all. Good grief.
So, yesterday, I got to do it all again! This time I tried asking if the baby was moving, did I need to continue to press the button? The nurse responded, if she doesn't move for a long time, we'll give you some sugar. (So, that was a mis-communication.) This time was totally different than last week in that she moved nearly the entire 20 minutes...like a gymnastics factory! Since I was so tired, I couldn't get too stressed out this time. And the doctor decided she/we passed and I don't have to do it again. Thank goodness!
So, yesterday, I got to do it all again! This time I tried asking if the baby was moving, did I need to continue to press the button? The nurse responded, if she doesn't move for a long time, we'll give you some sugar. (So, that was a mis-communication.) This time was totally different than last week in that she moved nearly the entire 20 minutes...like a gymnastics factory! Since I was so tired, I couldn't get too stressed out this time. And the doctor decided she/we passed and I don't have to do it again. Thank goodness!
Language Issues
Well, yesterday was an intriguing day. For one thing, my trip to the doctor's office for the 38 week visit took 4 1/2 hours though it is only a 15 minute taxi ride away. (I took the bus in rush hour and then had a 2 hour appointment - but that's another story).
As a language learner, I felt like I was on a teeter-totter of accomplishment.
Incident 1:
The English speaking nurse at the hospital has decided it is easier for both of our understanding if she speaks in Tksh to me. Victory!
Incident 2:
Then I went to an art supply store where my conversation went like this:
Me (in Tksh): "Do you know gessos (a product for making a canvas paintable)?"
Salesman (in Tksh): "Do you know Tksh?" (is he mocking me?)
Salesman (in Eng): "I can speak English or you can keep trying to speak" (definitely mocking)
Incident 3:
I sat down alone at a bus stop to wait for my bus and a young woman stumbled onto the seat next to me. While I tried to formulate the question "Are you feeling okay?", she passed out. As I tried to keep her from falling onto the pavement, I looked around at the street that had no shops nearby-wondering what to do. A young man appeared out of nowhere to help. He assumed we were together and started asking me all sorts of questions in Tksh. (Victory again!) After I shared that I didn't actually know her and wasn't sure why she had fainted, he quickly took over the situation (in a very compassionate manner talking with the woman and working to figure out how best to help her get home safely). After several minutes he offered to pay her way home in a taxi rather than a crowded bus. He helped her into the backseat and then sat himself in the front to give the driver directions. I was blessed to witness such kindness to a stranger.
As a language learner, I felt like I was on a teeter-totter of accomplishment.
Incident 1:
The English speaking nurse at the hospital has decided it is easier for both of our understanding if she speaks in Tksh to me. Victory!
Incident 2:
Then I went to an art supply store where my conversation went like this:
Me (in Tksh): "Do you know gessos (a product for making a canvas paintable)?"
Salesman (in Tksh): "Do you know Tksh?" (is he mocking me?)
Salesman (in Eng): "I can speak English or you can keep trying to speak" (definitely mocking)
Incident 3:
I sat down alone at a bus stop to wait for my bus and a young woman stumbled onto the seat next to me. While I tried to formulate the question "Are you feeling okay?", she passed out. As I tried to keep her from falling onto the pavement, I looked around at the street that had no shops nearby-wondering what to do. A young man appeared out of nowhere to help. He assumed we were together and started asking me all sorts of questions in Tksh. (Victory again!) After I shared that I didn't actually know her and wasn't sure why she had fainted, he quickly took over the situation (in a very compassionate manner talking with the woman and working to figure out how best to help her get home safely). After several minutes he offered to pay her way home in a taxi rather than a crowded bus. He helped her into the backseat and then sat himself in the front to give the driver directions. I was blessed to witness such kindness to a stranger.
Happy Green Day!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
The clean-up crew
As I wanted to leave our colorful decorations up at least a day, Rick & Micah got to take them down. Micah was thrilled with the cool lady bug posters and paper chains.
He immediately went about redistributing the goods to the toy zone.
PS - If you're wondering why Micah looks so weird, he's had the flu for a week. Small things like lady bug stickers light up his world. :)
Ladybug Baby Shower!
I was really blessed last weekend by a baby shower two friends threw for me. What great decorations! Creativity abounds when no Factory Card Outlet sits around the corner! We had a lovely time eating, playing games, praying, and visiting. It was a great visual picture to me of the friendships that have developed here over our first year. I am very thankful.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
court cases
Well, last week I sat down to do a blog entry only to discover that blogger had a message "this site has been forbidden by the courts!" What???? My connection with friends and family has been blocked by the courts?? I checked on the local newspaper site and discovered that because of several people streaming football (soccer) coverage on their blogger accounts (coverage owned by the local television station), the courts decided to ban blogger all over the country. From the news article: "There are more than 600,000 Tk. bloggers actively using Blogger and some 18 million users from Tky. visited pages hosted by the site last month" Wow! I am probably not the only one who is a little put out. We are able to now post from a different server, but all videos are again blocked. So still photos only until further notice.
prego brain and snow
After several years of working on 2 little snow bookmarks frantically between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I decided this month that I would quickly finish the last 4 before the baby comes. If you have never cross-stitched, you need to know that each pattern has symbols representing different colors...a little like paint by number. So, I dove into this lovely bookmark-thinking the color choices were a bit odd, but it would probably work out in the end. As I started my last 6 stitches, I thought to myself, why would a snowman have a flesh-colored carrot nose? I checked the pattern again and lo and behold...I read the wrong codes for the entire bookmark! Indeed a yellow-colored snowman was not intended by the kit makers....they seemed to want a white and light blue one! Normally this discovery would dissolve into a flood of tears at 36 weeks of pregnancy. But I am too exhausted to cry...so instead Rick suggested we keep this as a funny ornament for our tree to laugh at for years...the year our daughter was born and Mom made a yellow-snow snowman.
Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!
Hooray! What an exciting morning to wake up and see a blizzard outside!! Our first one of winter. A bit difficult for it to accumulate on these city streets, but we're anxious to see how the day progresses....if it grows or shrinks. Either way, it is quite cold today!
The view out our kitchen window:
